Siding replacement cost by state

Vinyl siding costs $625 a square in Arkansas and $875 in Illinois. On a 2,000 square foot house that is $12,500 against $17,500 for identical work, a 40% spread across the lower 48.

A square is 100 square feet, which is how the siding trade quotes. The table below prices one job in every state: standard vinyl siding on a two-story house, existing siding stripped, house wrap replaced, with trim and accessories.

How these figures are built

We hold a national rate per square and adjust it by state.

The labor adjustment comes from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data: each state's mean hourly wage for the construction trades divided by the national mean. It is a measured figure.

The material adjustment is a model rather than a measurement. Material moves by a quarter of the labor spread, because regional pricing tracks local cost of doing business far more weakly than wages do. Alaska and Hawaii carry a freight premium.

We treat 55% of a siding job as labor and permits. Siding is more labor-heavy than a kitchen and less so than an hourly trade call, which is why the spread here sits between the two.

Vinyl siding cost per square, by state

Multiply by the number of squares. A single-story 1,500 square foot house is roughly 15 to 18 squares of wall; a two-story 2,500 square foot house is roughly 25 to 30.

What moves a quote more than the state does

The material. Vinyl at $500 to $1,000 a square, insulated vinyl at $700 to $1,300, engineered wood at $800 to $1,700, fiber cement at $1,000 to $2,200. Across 25 squares that is a $12,500 to $30,000 swing on its own, and it dwarfs geography.

What is under the old siding. Rotten sheathing is the classic discovery, and it cannot be quoted before the wall is open. Budget a contingency; $1,500 to $6,000 is common on an older house.

Stories and access. A second story means staging or lifts and roughly a third more labor per square. A third story more again.

Trim and detail. Gables, dormers, bay windows and multiple corners all add cuts, and cuts are labor. A plain box costs less per square than a house of the same area with articulation.

Where the state changes the job itself

Climate. Fiber cement is standard in humid and fire-prone regions and priced accordingly. Vinyl becomes brittle in extreme cold and can distort near reflective windows in extreme heat.

Wind and fire code. Coastal states specify fastening schedules and wind ratings that add labor. Fire-prone counties in the west increasingly require non-combustible cladding, which removes vinyl from the list entirely.

Permits. $150 to $1,000 for a re-side, set locally.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Alaska near the top when it is a small market?

Two things that have nothing to do with wages alone. Materials arrive by barge, so freight is a real line on every job. And the siding season is a few months long, which means a crew has to earn its year inside that window and prices accordingly. At 1.22 Alaska sits second, and unlike the metro-driven states, the number holds across the whole state rather than concentrating in one city.

Should the old siding come off?

Yes, in almost every case. Siding over siding hides whatever is failing underneath, adds thickness the trim was not sized for, and prevents replacing the house wrap. Some contractors offer it as a saving; it is a saving you pay for later.

Is insulated vinyl worth the extra?

It adds roughly R-2 to R-3, which is real but modest, and it is noticeably more rigid and flatter-looking than standard vinyl. The appearance is the better argument.

Do these figures include the house wrap?

Yes: a weather-resistive barrier, taped, is part of a proper re-side and should be a line on the quote. If it is not there, ask.

How current are these numbers?

The wage data is refreshed when the BLS publishes it and the national rate is reviewed each quarter. The date the figures were last set is shown with the cost figure at the top of this page.